Peter Doll

I'm a Research Fellow and Lecturer in the College of Science and Engineering at James Cook University (JCU). My research aims to connect ecological theory with conservation impact and centres on the biology and ecology of coral reef organisms, including corals, fishes, and echinoderms. I'm particularly interested in how the world's reef ecosystems function and respond to major disturbances, including climate-driven mass coral bleaching and crown-of-thorns starfish outbreaks. To deliver impactful field- and lab-based projects at JCU, I have secured significant funding as a sole PI, Co-PI and Co-Investigator (AU$ >1M) and publish much of my work in broad-audience journals such as Current Biology, Biology Letters, OMBAR, and Nature Reviews Biodiversity. My current research projects are supported by various government and philanthropic grants, including the Australian Government's National Environmental Science Program, the Big Blue Ocean Foundation via the Australian Museum LIRRF, and the Great Barrier Reef Foundation via the CCIP. As part of my recent and ongoing research programs, I lead interdisciplinary and cross-institutional projects, field expeditions, experimental teams, and working groups, which include government agencies (CSIRO, GBRMPA, AIMS), partner universities (e.g., UTAS, LMU), Traditional Owners, and industry partners.

I'm a JCU Primary Advisor and AIMS@JCU supervisor who is passionate about high-quality teaching, mentorship and building an inclusive scientific community working towards lasting scientific and societal impact. I have considerable JCU- and AIMS-based research mentorship experience, including the successful supervision of seven PhD, MPhil and Masters student completions to date (11 incl. current). I commit much time to JCU-based teaching, high school outreach, expert reviews (e.g., NSERC, AAA), and regularly serve on EDI and professional committees (e.g., ARC CoE CRS, AMSA-NQ). For the past three years, I have taught JCU under- and postgraduate courses MB3190 & MB5190 (Coral Reef Ecology), including the preparation and delivery of lectures, pre-labs, marking, and running field trips, lab practicals and statistics workshops. Through the promotion of equitable research practices, supportive mentorship, bridging disciplines, and stakeholder engagement, I aim to foster an inclusive and productive research environment to deliver innovative science and tackle to coral reef crisis. Get in touch!